Know exactly what you are buying
300 pearl and jewellery terms, each one linked to a piece you can hold.
Where would you like to begin?
Types of Pearl
Freshwater, saltwater, South Sea, keshi, and how to tell a real pearl from a coated bead.
Shapes
Round, baroque, drop, coin and the rest, and what each one is worth paying for.
Quality & Grading
What AAA actually means, plus lustre, nacre, orient and the claims to be sceptical of.
Size & Length
Millimetres, choker to rope, bangle sizing, and which length suits which neckline.
Jewellery Styles
Jhumka, mangalsutra, kundan, polki, temple work and the rest of the Indian vocabulary.
Gold & Hallmarking
Karat versus carat, 22K and 18K, 916, plating, vermeil and what a BIS hallmark proves.
Gemstones & Cuts
Ruby, emerald, sapphire and zircon, their Indian names, and the cuts from princess to cabochon.
Metals & Plating
925 silver, platinum, brass and the alloys and finishes a piece is actually built from.
Clasps & Construction
Clasps, knotting, drilling and settings, the parts that decide whether a piece survives.
Care & Authenticity
Storing pearls, the tooth test, restringing, and the astrological terms buyers ask about.
Buying & Value
Making charges, wastage, gold rate, GST, buyback and what a piece is actually worth.
Size & Length
1–13 of 13
Adjustable
A necklace or bracelet with an extension chain, letting the wearer add an inch or two.
1 in stock · from ₹12,350
Bracelet Length
Usually 7 to 8 inches. Should be about half an inch longer than the wrist so the piece moves rather than grips.
72 in stock · from ₹1,200
Choker Length
A necklace of about 14 to 16 inches, sitting snugly at the base of the throat.
101 in stock · from ₹2,250
Collar Length
The shortest classic length, around 12 to 13 inches, worn tight against the middle of the neck.
Lines
How many parallel strands a necklace is made from. A 3-line necklace has three rows running together into one clasp.
14 in stock · from ₹2,850
Matinee Length
Roughly 20 to 24 inches, falling on the chest. Reads as daywear rather than evening formality.
101 in stock · from ₹3,500
Millimetre (mm)
The unit every pearl is measured in. One millimetre of difference is clearly visible on the neck.
Momme
A Japanese unit of weight used in the pearl trade, equal to 3.75 grams. Used wholesale, rarely at retail.
Opera Length
About 28 to 36 inches, reaching the breastbone or below. Can be doubled into a two-strand choker.
26 in stock · from ₹11,200
Pearl Size
The diameter of a pearl in millimetres, measured across its widest point. Price rises steeply, not evenly, with size.
77 in stock · from ₹1,600
Princess Length
About 17 to 19 inches, resting just below the collarbone. The default necklace length, and the safest gift.
174 in stock · from ₹1,800
Rope Length
Anything beyond about 36 inches. Long enough to knot, layer or wear as several strands at once.
2 in stock · from ₹17,680
Stud Size
The pearl diameter on a stud earring. 6mm to 8mm is everyday; 9mm and up is a statement.
30 in stock · from ₹1,000